What: NIU’s Anime Association

Why: Free showings of different types of Japanese animation, including movies, TV series and direct-to-video series

When: 7 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday

Where: Cole Hall’s Preview Room, located in the southeast corner of the first floor’s central hallway.

Japanese Animation has stretched out farther than just Pokemon and Dragon Ball Z.

NIU’s Anime Association brings students the various media that are involved with anime.

Association president David Johnson, a computer science major, described the group’s motive.

“We attempt to bring in varieties from different genres and pique people’s interest in anime and the techniques involved in producing it,” Johnson said.

The group’s Web site details its specific activities.

“Our main activity is publically showing different types of Japanese Animation (called anime), including movies, TV series and direct-to-video series (called O.V.A. or O.A.V.),” the site states. “We try to show a variety of genres which include drama, comedy, romance, action/adventure, science fiction and historical.”

The Tuesday night show has several features. While the first hour is dedicated to a Japanese show called “Berserk,” the second hour is for the show “Akazukin Chacha.” The last hour is for other series or stand-alone videos. Thursday nights are set aside for rare pieces of anime and feature movies. All showings are in Japanese with English subtitles.

The association also offers a drawing class once a semester.

“We try to do this once a semester where we take one of our members in the art department who draws anime and have him help others learning to draw anime,” Johnson said.

The group also plans field trips to Anderson Gardens (318 Spring Creek Road, Rockford), a botanical garden specializing in Japanese plants, as well as trips to Mitsuwa Plaza, 100 E. Algonquin Road, Suite 106, Arlington Heights.

“It’s all Japanese stores ranging from food courts to travel agents and book stores,” Johnson said.

Before final exams start, the group holds an end-of-the-semester party for its members.

“It’s a great way to relax before everyone has to buckle down for finals,” Johnson said.

All group activities are open to the public.

The Anime Association originated in June of 1999 at the Sycamore Public Library under the name Anime Film Night .

Eron Rouch worked as one of its founders and set a time and place for viewing anime. The small group that spent its evenings at the library moved out of the basement and into Cole Hall’s Preview Room. A planning center also was formed that allowed different suggestions for shows and activities.

With the sudden boom of Anime, this organization offers true Japanese cartoons before they get melted down into kid-friendly nonsense. It is a hub for watching anime without cost.

NIU’s Anime Association meets from 7 to 10 p.m. each Tuesday and from 7 to 9 p.m. each Thursday at Cole Hall’s Preview Room. The room is located in the southeast corner of the first floor’s central hallway. The door is labeled “Preview Room.” Admission is free. For more information, visit www.sa.niu.edu/anime, call Johnson at 753-5138 or e-mail [email protected].